THE EAST BAY

The pre-Revolutionary town which sprung up around Bristol Harbor in the in the 1600s was a shipbuilding and fishing settlement which thrives to this day. A deep harbor and the protection afforded by Narragansett Bay made this town the textbook picture of an early Colonial seaport.

The shipbuilders and merchants sculpted a beautiful town which is perfectly preserved and available on tours or through a stay at one of the many Bed & Breakfasts in town or in the attendant working-class settlement of Warren. The mansions now house museums dedicated to life in Colonial times as well as arts festivals and musical performances throughout the warmer months.

Bristol is also the home of the world-famous Bristol Fourth of July Parade, the oldest, biggest and most spectacular in the country. Plan on getting there a day or two ahead to claim a spot on the curb!

There is a bike path which runs from East Providence on the banks of the Seekonk River all the way down the East Bay to Newport which is a spectacular way to see historic Rhode Island as it was and always shall be.